How to Effectively Summarize Important Information for Your Boss
Whether you are being asked to brief your boss on important issues or data, or if you just need to communicate a difficult idea with respect to their (and your) time, it can seem like you are dressed. spot. The short bullet points you’ve organized in your head are nowhere to be seen, but time goes by and as a result, you may end up spewing out a bunch of sentences that may or may not come close to relevant.
If this is an area of your professional life that you would like to improve, Grant T. Harris , who has informed everyone from CEOs to CEOs, gives us some tips in an article in the Harvard Business Review . Here’s what you need to know.
Look for the “decisive nod”
Is there someone your boss always looks up to when he hears new information? Like they are looking for someone else to process or approve? According to Harris, this is their “decisive nod”:
At a critical moment in the briefing, the president will turn to a trusted advisor and look for a facial expression that confirms what you are saying. You need this person to nod yes. This is a quiet gesture that consoles the boss; this shows that your idea is correct and that all the right people have been consulted. If you don’t nod in support, it will raise additional questions and sow doubt in the room. Worse, a sidelong glance or lack of support from a top advisor could mean the quick death of your proposal.
Harris recommends identifying the person and asking them to share their views on how to approach this topic with your boss before starting the presentation. (Also, to clarify, the “room” in this case is probably Zoom, so ideally this would be a situation where you can see your boss and colleagues and their facial expressions.)
Understand your boss’s non-verbal cues
After working with someone for a while, you can become pretty good at understanding whether their intense, almost sidelong gaze means that they are deeply interested, or that they cannot believe that you are wasting their time. “Pay attention and study their body language to understand what they do when they want someone to wrap something up or go into details,” advises Harris. Then, during your presentation, follow these prompts and read the room accordingly.
Find out how your boss deals with information
Is your boss the one who reads every line of something and leaves some comments? Or do they look through something and only refer to something if something is wrong? Determining how your boss handles material can mean the difference between constant worry (assuming they hate you or your job) and being able to present your information in meaningful dialogue.
Stay on track
There is a time and place for touches and funny anecdotes, but informing your boss about important information is usually not the right time. But also remember that you cannot stray from the topic, explains Harris :
If the conversation gets bogged down, a question distracts the meeting, or someone starts ranting about a favorite topic, plan ahead for some ways to redirect the conversation and get what you need. Being stubborn yet nimble is a rare talent, and of course you don’t want to look tough or robotic.
Add to discussion only when needed
After you finish your presentation and some conversation starts between others, Harris recommends giving them the opportunity to discuss it without feeling obligated to add your two cents or show them that you know you are familiar with the topic. He explains :
The discussion has unfurled, and now you must carefully consider whether to intervene and when. The leader draws others into the room or thinks out loud. By speaking at the wrong time, you risk disrupting your train of thought or angering your boss.
Of course, it goes without saying that you have to know what you’re talking about and do your research ahead of time, but once you’re in a room with your boss, much of your ability to communicate effectively comes down to reading and responding to non-verbal cues, staying on course and knowing. when to stop talking and focus on listening.